Monday, October 5, 2009

Justin Vineyards, as I said many times before, is a wonderful expression of what California represents. They are innovative, they are Earth-friendly, they are focused on healthy living, and they are quality wine.

Justin is one of the hipper wine discoveries I have made. Currently they are going through the process of becoming certified biodynamic (using natural means to tend to the grapes on the vine). They have at their core the principle of taking care of the Earth, but they also take care of their employees. They have an on-site gym and strongly encourage participation in athletic competitions and physical activity.

Overall, I think this makes them very appealing as a company, but how is the wine? I have featured their ’05 Isosceles in a couple past columns and included it in a recent wine dinner that I picked the wines for. Hence, their upper-tier wines are terrific, but how about their entry level offering?

The 2006 Justin is a lovely California Cab. It is a really deep purple and has a nose that shows of the typical dark berries and then evolves to include some spice and leather. The palate is a little less complex than the nose. Blackberry, currants and strawberry are the most perceptible flavors with a little spice. The body is in the medium-full range and the tannins are firm, yet not too overpowering.

Overall this is a really good wine and my wife absolutely loved it (she said it three separate times)! Wine Enthusiast rated this 90 pts and I am going to up them to a 91-92, because the nose was great and the palate had nice depth in the berries. This wine would pair nicely with food, especially